I don't have the money to go on real vacations, but if I'm traveling for work or family, I'll try to visit the zoos if it's doable. And I am willing to go on longer drives for day to zoos.
Different zoo each week for fifty-two weeks in a row, as well as repeat visits to at least one collection
Wow, that is very impressive! What definition did you use for zoo? Did nature centers or places with mostly domestics count?
Either way, it sounds like it would be a very hard, fun, and rewarding challenge. I might try that one year. It could also be a nice idea for a big year-long thread, to document progress week by week.
I'm sure I'll be repeating many things said in this thread already, but I'll throw my 2 cents in. I have done some form of a zoo road trip of varying lengths, anywhere from 4 days to 2 weeks, every year since 2017. Some tips/recommendations:
1) Fatigue is definitely a real thing on these trips for me. The shorter 4 day trips are no problem, but when I did a 10 day one as my first longer one it got long. I'd recommend trying a shorter excursion first for a few days where you hit new zoos in your state or surrounding states you haven't been to. See if its something you even enjoy. EDIT: I mislabelled this Zoo Fatigue. Realized it wasn't the correct thing to call it. It's just more of a general fatigue from long days that are jam packed with driving/zoo going. I'm never not enjoying myself at zoos. Even at some of the crappiest places I'll never go back to.
2) Going off the last one, having a travel partner makes things infinitely better. My sister went with me on my 2 week one (longest I've done) this last summer and it made the travel much more enjoyable.
3 (Part 1) I know people have done it, but I can't see trying to make a trip like this as enjoyable as possible without a car. I've always taken my own car. Yes, it is more expensive than public transit, but public transit in most American cities just isnt reliable enough. It also is not flexible. When I go on a zoo specific trip I'm trying to maximize the number of zoos I can get to. That doesn't mean I'm rushing through zoos, but trying to combine multiple places into one day. A car allows you to move when you are ready.
3 (Part 2) This really depends on the person, but what are you trying to see? I'm like some others on here that try going to as many zoos as I can no matter how large or small. Others are just interested in the more well known, notable collections. This definitely affects what type of transportation you can rely on. Many major zoos can be combined with at least one other smaller collection nearby. The downfall is that collection is often out of the city and not easily accesible by public transit.
4) Lodging accommodations. I've always booked these the night of while I'm on the road. One reason is because I want my schedule to be flexible. Sometimes it takes me longer to get through a place and I need start my day in a different city than I was expecting. Also, in my experience things are cheaper night of as places are just looking to fill rooms. This could also be a place to save money. I know some zoochatters who park at walmart and sleep in their car. Not for me personally, but got love the commitment!
1) Fatigue is definitely a real thing on these trips for me. The shorter 4 day trips are no problem, but when I did a 10 day one as my first longer one it got long. I'd recommend trying a shorter excursion first for a few days where you hit new zoos in your state or surrounding states you haven't been to. See if its something you even enjoy. EDIT: I mislabelled this Zoo Fatigue. Realized it wasn't the correct thing to call it. It's just more of a general fatigue from long days that are jam packed with driving/zoo going. I'm never not enjoying myself at zoos. Even at some of the crappiest places I'll never go back to.
2) Going off the last one, having a travel partner makes things infinitely better. My sister went with me on my 2 week one (longest I've done) this last summer and it made the travel much more enjoyable.
3 (Part 1) I know people have done it, but I can't see trying to make a trip like this as enjoyable as possible without a car. I've always taken my own car. Yes, it is more expensive than public transit, but public transit in most American cities just isnt reliable enough. It also is not flexible. When I go on a zoo specific trip I'm trying to maximize the number of zoos I can get to. That doesn't mean I'm rushing through zoos, but trying to combine multiple places into one day. A car allows you to move when you are ready.
3 (Part 2) This really depends on the person, but what are you trying to see? I'm like some others on here that try going to as many zoos as I can no matter how large or small. Others are just interested in the more well known, notable collections. This definitely affects what type of transportation you can rely on. Many major zoos can be combined with at least one other smaller collection nearby. The downfall is that collection is often out of the city and not easily accesible by public transit.
4) Lodging accommodations. I've always booked these the night of while I'm on the road. One reason is because I want my schedule to be flexible. Sometimes it takes me longer to get through a place and I need start my day in a different city than I was expecting. Also, in my experience things are cheaper night of as places are just looking to fill rooms. This could also be a place to save money. I know some zoochatters who park at walmart and sleep in their car. Not for me personally, but got love the commitment!
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As someone who just moved to NYC this summer and has a car, let me assure you there are no "simple 40 min car rides" if you're trying to get to NJ. I have not been to Turtle Back or Bergen County yet for the exact reasons you have mentioned. Public transit looks terrible to get there and driving in the city (and NJ) is an absolute nightmare, unless you are doing it between 10pm and like 5am (not ideal times to go to a zoo). Even then you can get stuck in traffic. Since moving here, I have left the city twice during the day and gone into NJ. Each time it took me an extra 30-40 minutes from the original time the GPS estimated with traffic to get where I'm going. You also mention the cost of public transit to get there, but if you have a car tolls are going to cost you at a minimum half (likely more) of what you said it would be for public transit to get there. (Not trying to come off as an a** here, but feel like thats the way it reads. Sorry!)
As for your other question, is it worth it? Absolutely yes, but I'm someone that wants to go to as many zoos as possible. Not all zoochatters hold that same desire. I will be going eventually. Just no idea when. Message me. Maybe we can figure out a way you can tag along. Never met another zoochatter in person.
BigTusker15
Active Member
Yes! I try to go out of my way to make most vacations around visiting zoos and aquariums!
I have.
I looked through the list of zoos in the UK forum and found there are around 60 zoos within 2 hours of me, another 20 or so if you add another 30 minutes.
Virtually all my breaks are 2 or 3 nights almost totally centred on zoo visits . I now have one trip to the west country each year(Exmoor always included) but this year had 2 due to missing the Shoebill by 2 weeks in May!
In May I went to
Day 1 Bristol Zoo/ Noah's Ark
2 Exmoor/Shaldon. day 3 Dartmoor/Axe Valley
September
1 Newquay/ Paradise Park. 2 Tropiquaria/ Exmoor. 3 Longleat
My only trips abroad in the last 5 years have been 2 nights in Berlin (both zoos) and 1 night in Cologne (Duisburg/Cologne zoos).
I spent 3 nights in Scotland last year and went to five sisters the day I got there, then Edinburgh next day, Highland Wildlife Park followed by Edinburgh again to fill a 4 hour gap of waiting for my booked train home!
My family’s trip to San Diego this year was a graduation present for me, specifically so I could visit the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Seaworld San Diego, and the Birch Aquarium over the course of five days.
One trip I've been on that was primarily to visit a zoo was my visit earlier this year to Atlanta to see the Georgia Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta. This also included a visit to the College Football Hall of Fame and the Fernbank Museum. I also just remembered my family and I took a short trip down to the Toledo Zoo in 2008(?).
I want to plan another visit around visiting another zoo or aquarium over spring break again, but I am debating between Omaha, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Pittsburgh. Houston is another city I want to visit, but I think I'll wait until the Galapagos exhibit opens at the Houston Zoo.
I did have a trip planned to New York to visit the Bronx Zoo back in 2020, but that got postponed due to known reasons.
I want to plan another visit around visiting another zoo or aquarium over spring break again, but I am debating between Omaha, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Pittsburgh. Houston is another city I want to visit, but I think I'll wait until the Galapagos exhibit opens at the Houston Zoo.
I did have a trip planned to New York to visit the Bronx Zoo back in 2020, but that got postponed due to known reasons.
Strix
Well-Known Member
My first real trips were to the Chester/Liverpool area to see mainly Chester Zoo, with Blue Planet Aquarium and Knowsley Safari Park added on. Next year I’m planning on going to Valencia to visit the Oceanografic and Bioparc, which will be my first zoos outside of the UK.
